Accept by-election results or go to court – Ogun IPAC tells aggrieved parties
yarkarkara
By James Ogunnaike
The Ogun State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) advised political parties that participated in Saturday’s House of Representatives by-election for Remo Federal Constituency to accept the result as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in good faith.
The State IPAC Chairman, Abayomi Sanyaolu, who gave the advice while addressing newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, also urged any political party that feels disenfranchised in the election to seek redress in the court of law.
He warned against engaging in any act that could harm the peaceful coexistence of the state’s residents.
It is worth recalling that Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, was declared the winner of the by-election, polling a total of 41,237 votes to defeat her closest rival, Bola Oluwole of the Peoples Democratic Party, who garnered 14,324 votes.
Sanyaolu said, “Though other political parties participated in the by-election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mrs Ayoola Elegbeji, as the winner of the poll. As the Chairman of IPAC in the state, what remains to be done is to call for unity among all. We don’t want violence; all we want is peace so that the state can continue to make progress.
“Our duty is to relate with other political parties and to advise that we all give peace a chance; there must be no bloodshed or crisis after the election. If any of the political parties that participated in the by-election is not satisfied with the conduct of the election, the best thing to do is to go to court to seek redress.
“I could remember that during the local government election held in the state last year, we had some issues with the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission, and we went to court and got our judgment against them.
“In this wise too, if you are having any misgivings over the last Saturday’s Remo Federal constituency by-election, don’t take the law into your hands. Go to court to seek redress and let the peace that we have continued to enjoy in the state prevail.”
Also speaking at the briefing, the National Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Comrade Oginni Olaposi, urged anyone dissatisfied with the results of the by-election to approach the court to vent their anger and misgivings over the election’s conduct.
Oginni said the victory of the APC in the by-election is traceable to the fact that the governor is from the Remo Federal constituency and his giant strides, particularly the construction of the multi-billion naira Agro Cargo airport within the vicinity, precisely in Iperu Remo, the governor’s home town must have attracted lot of admiration for the governor’s party.
“I want to say that the election went the way it went because the governor, who is the leader of the ruling party, is from Remoland, Iperu Remo to be precise.
“And we should not forget that the multi-billion naira mega project of the Agro Cargo airport is sited in that region. The by-election thus became an opportunity for the people of Remo land to show their appreciation to the governor, and they voted massively for the ruling All Progressives Congress.
“So, I won’t say that as an opposition party member, the election was rigged or compromise, I think what swing the vote in favour of the ruling party and the governor is that multi billion naira airport project which will serve as a good alternative to the one in Lagos and also help to decongest the airport in Lagos.
“The opposition parties should just go back to the drawing board and see how we can do better next time. We should not say that we want to bring the roof down because our parties did not win. And if we feel aggrieved, let’s approach a competent court to seek redress. So I am appealing for peace and understanding, there is always another day to put up a better performance in the future election.”
On his part, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, declared that the landslide victory of the APC was a referendum on the acceptance of the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, by his kinsmen in Remoland, who have greatly benefited from his administration.
Arabambi said, “The outcome of the election is a referendum for the government of Governor Dapo Abiodun. He has done a great deal for the people in that region, and they rewarded him with an emphatic victory for his party, the APC. The Agro Cargo airport situated within the region is a game-changer.
“And once INEC declares a winner in an election, the next option for whoever has an axe to grind with the conduct of the election is to go to court rather than causing any brigandage.
“So I congratulate President Bola Tinubu, the governor and the security agencies for ensuring an enabling environment for the conduct of the election. Any party that is not satisfied with the conduct of the election as spelt out by the electoral laws will have to go to court.”
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